The fire started early Friday morning at a house on Orpwood Street in Oakland and spread to the home next door.

The fire started early Friday morning at a house on Orpwood Street in Oakland and spread to the home next door.

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Updated: 4:52 PM EDT Sep 19, 2014

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WEBVTT BOTH FIRES W IN E TENANT'S CURIOSITY LIKELY SAVED LIVES. AMBER NICOTRA TELLS US WHY. Reporter: IT WAS A RAGING FIRE THAT DESTROYED TWO HOMES. IT STARTED IN THIS HOUSE AND SPREAD TO THE HOME NEXT DOOR. EVERYBODY GOT OUT THANKS TO THE QUICK THINKING OF ONE OF THE RESIDENTS WHO LOOKED OUTSIDE HER WINDOW AND NOTICED SOMETHING UNUSUAL. SEVEN PEOPLE LEF WITH NO PLACE TO CALL HOME AND NOW INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO FIND OUT WHAT STARTED THIS EARLY MORNING FIRE THAT RIPPED THROUGH THIS HOUSE IN SOUTH OAKLAND AND THEN DESTROYED THE HOME NEXT DOOR. THE YOUNG GUY WAS AWAKE AND SMELLED IT, LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW A GLOW ON THE CAR AND GOT HIM OUT. THEY WENT TO THE NEIGHBORS AND GOT THEM OUT. IT WAS VERY SCARY. Reporter: THE FLAMES WERE SO INTENSE TOM SWEENEY FELT THE HEAT FROM HIS HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET AND WORRIED WHEN HE WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF POUNDING AT HIS FRONT DOOR. BANGING AND BANGING BY THE POLICE SAYING GET OUT OF THE HOUSE IT IS ON FIRE. THERE IS A FIRE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY HOUSE. I GOT TO THE DOOR AND I SEE A BIG ORANGE BALL OF FLAMES. Reporter: THE FIRE NOT ONLY DESTROYED BOTH HOMES AND EVERYTHING INSIDE BUT MELTED THE CARS PARKED ON THE STREET. NEIGHBORS SAY THE HOMES ARE RENTED BY MOSTLY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THE OWNER HAD RENOVATED IT A FEW YEARS AGO. DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS SO HE BOUGHT THE HOUSE AND RENOVATED IT AND DID A GOOD JOB AND STARTED RENTING IT OUT. THE VICTIMS AT N CREWS ARE BOARDING UP THE HOMES.

Fire destroys South Oakland homes

The fire started early Friday morning at a house on Orpwood Street in Oakland and spread to the home next door.